An Overland Journey
About 22 miles this afternoon/evening. On foot.
Needless to say (for me anyway) I was in an altered state afterwards–wonky neurology even. And stairs are hard. Even just one flight of stairs is hard, I mean.
But you know, there’s no worrying or ruminating or feeling sad or small or afraid when I’m out on a journey like that.
I say “journey” because I think at a certain point it can no longer be called a “workout” or “exercise”–it’s a journey overland. And in other ways–I can’t believe I can do such a thing, thinking back to how it used to be, how I used to think I couldn’t run much at all. And I certainly couldn’t do what I can now, except possibly for the apparent madness that has impelled me to run these distances I am so much healthier and stronger than before, and with so much less that I’m dragging around. I mean this figuratively–chains and anchors and baggage and such–but I mean it literally too. There’s less of what I don’t need weighing me down. I’m no willowy delicate thing though; I’m trying to embrace my non-fragility and enjoy the ease with which I build fast-twitch muscle. Silly to be running marathons, in a way; I’m more suited to sprinting or toting large things about. But I sometimes like to do what doesn’t come easy. Simple existence doesn’t, not particularly, though lots of things generally thought difficult do. And when I’m out in new territory that I’m not sure I can handle I feel alive and sometimes ready to go forth to meet life. Not always, sometimes. Now.
Perhaps no more running is necessary just now though. Lounging about like the cats might be more suitable at this particular juncture.
Tags: challenge, Running, strength
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